As long as he's a coward
by BigBlueBox
Summary: The Doctor and Rose have a talk after The Christmas Invasion. Oneshot.


**So long as He's a coward**

_Summary: Rose and the Doctor have a talk. After the Christmas invasion Oneshot_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who_

Rose lay back on the bed in her TARDIS Room. It felt like years since she had been able to just relax, but it had only been a few days. Even after the Sycorax there it had been terribly hectic about the Powell Estate. What with all the old friends that had popped round, her mother and Mickey fussing over her, and strangely, the Doctor.

The Doctor…

It was definitely still him in there, no doubt about that. Different appearance and all, different attitude, but still him. She could feel it, sometimes when they had their alone moments, the same comfort that she'd felt back when he was…different.

But the times were few and far between, and she did on occasion guiltily find herself wondering if he was really still her doctor. Like she said, he was definitely the Doctor, but was he still hers? She wasn't sure. She remembered small snatches of having the TARDIS inside her.

_I want you safe. My Doctor. Protected from the false God_

But had she saved him? Or lost him to space and time for this new man who she wasn't sure she recognised.

A cough from the doorway alerted her to his presence leaning against the door way. "Hullo". He said, grinning boyishly.

"Hi," she replied, with a slight smile, not bothering to sit up, so he sat next to her on the bed instead.

"Hiding from the family?"

She nodded. "Something like that." She admitted, a little sheepishly. "Hiding from everything really".

"Oh…" He half made to get up. "Should I just leave then?"

"No!" Rose suddenly found herself desperate for his company. Desperate for reassurance, once again, that he really was 100 percenther doctor. "Stay…"

"Ok…" he sat back down again, frowning. "Is everything alright?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, fine. Just don't mind you being here, s'all". She said, shrugging.

Neither didn't say anything for a while, just sat enjoying each others company and silence. Each with their own thoughts. Then both turned to each other at the same time.

"Doctor…"

"Rose…"

They both stopped, and then tried again.

"You go first". They both said.

"No, you…"

The Doctor sighed. "How about I justgo first?" Rose nodded in agreement.

Her fixed her with an intense stare."Look, Rose. You're not acting differently because of me? New me, I mean?" He was smiling a little, but she could see the worry behind his eyes.

"I, well…" she wasn't sure how to answer. "Sort of…"

He sighed and closed his eyes. He'd been worried about this. The new him being rejected by her. If she couldn't accept him, he wasn't sure if he could take it. There was silence again for a few minutes, but now it was sharp and uncofortable. Then he spoke. "I still like bananas. If it helps".

She laughed, remembering the other doctor's quirky love of the fruit, but didn't say anything. He was still looking at her, a look mixed with pity, confusion, a little curiosity but mostly sadness and disappointment. She sighed, her eyes never leaving her lap. "What if I killed the old you?" She asked, so quietly, the doctor had to strain to hear it.

"What?" he cried incredulously. "No, Rose, don't think that. Don't think that for a second. If you hadn't done what you did, I would have died. No regeneration. So coming back. Nothing. And the human race with me!" He shook his head. "Rose, you saved him. And everyone".

She looked up at him. "So, there wasn't any way you could have stopped them, then?" she asked, tentatively.

He shook his head again. "None. Except for, uh, destroying every human on the planet below". He laughed, but without any mirth. "Not an option, obviously".

She raised her eyebrows. "You considered it though, didn't you?"

He nodded. She knew him all too well. "I had it all set up and ready for use. And then _they_ came" he shook his head for a third time. "I said I'd do it. I swore to them I was serious.And do you know what the Emperor said?" she shook her head. Of course she didn't, how could she?. "Are you Coward or Killer?" He laughed again, with as much real humour as before.

"So what did you say?" she was curious to know.

He turned and looked her straight in the eye. "I said; 'Coward. Any day".

She raised herself slightly, so she was level with him. Somehow, she knew that this next question would mean everything. "And now?" she asked. "What would you say?"

Not once breaking eye contact, with full sincerity, and no hint of doubt,he said. "Coward. I'll never be a killer. In this life or the next".

And without warning, or thought, she threw her arms around him with a sob. He may look different, and he may not be exactly the same as before, but as long as he was a coward, he'd_ always_ be her doctor.

_A/N: Just some fluff I threw together. Hope you liked!_

_The bananas thing isn't just something random I through in, it's from season one, the empty child and season two, the girl in the fireplace. For the who don't remember._


End file.
